Who will be the King of the Mountain? The world’s best match racers are gearing up for St. Moritz Match Race

St. Moritz Match Race, the sixth stage of the ISAF World Match Race Tour, begins tomorrow. Twelve teams including some of the world’s best match racers have made it to the Swiss Alps; they completed some practice races today, stunned by the beauty of the site, surprised by the cold and the snow capped mountains that surround Lake St. Moritz.

Ben Ainslie, the skipper of Origin, said that this event is different from any other he has ever competed in. “This is a very special place. It’s beautiful, cold, and the wind is very shifty. The racing will be difficult because you need to constantly adjust to the changes.”

Also enthusiastic, kiwi Adam Minoprio, match racing’s raising talent, says that “this event is like no one else. It is freezing; it was even snowing yesterday when we arrived. Those unusual conditions bring a new dimension to the event and it’s something I appreciate. The wind can be very shifty and it can be tough to read. But it can also open up some opportunities.”

Two local teams are involved in the competition: Eric Monnin’s Swiss Match Racing Team and Jérôme Clerc’s Team CER Genève. « We have obtained good results recently and we know the boat very well », says Monnin. “We are also the local team: we have every reason to do well – except our competitors…” Jérôme Clerc is in a completely different state of mind: this will be his first grade 1 match race. “We are here to learn. It is a great opportunity for us. But we must remain modest; we know how high the level is.”

Mathieu Richard, from France, is the current leader of the World Match Racing Tour. “We haven’t competed in the World Match Racing Tour for the past two months”, he explains. “But we have done some good practice sessions and I think we are ready. This is a great event; I love it because it is very different. The boats are also very technical. »

Photo: Copyright Loris Von Siebenthal. The world’s best match race sailors are competing for the title of “King of the Mountain”. They were given some mountaineering gear from last century, and could choose their weapon! From left to right: Ben Ainslie, Adam Minoprio, Mathieu Richard, Ian Williams, Torvar Mirsky, Eric Monnin.